French Classical Pianist Quits In Style

French classical pianist Francois-Rene Duchable is quitting the industry in
protest at its elitism - by destroying two grand pianos and burning his recital
suit at his last three gigs.

Duchable - who won France's soloist of the year title three years in a row
in the 1990s - believes the piano is an "arrogant instrument", so at the end of
this month (JUL03) he plans to launch his piano into LAKE MERCANTOUR in the
French Alps
in his first farewell concert.

The second farewell concert will see Duchable burning his recital suit on
stage, while the last gig will see him blow-up his piano in mid-air.

He says, "I have had enough of sacrificing my life for one per cent of the
population. I have had enough of participating in a musical system, which in
France at least, function badly and limits classical music to an elite.

"Used as this society uses it, the piano is an arrogant instrument which
excludes all those that don't know about music."